Pennsylvania State Data Center Research Brief

November 2018 Page 1

Pennsylvania Domestic Out-Migration Trends, 2016HARRISBURG - The U.S. Census Bureau produces state-to-state migration flows for the population age 1 year and over based on the American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. The 2016 American Community Survey estimated that over 7.5 million American moved within the past year.

Approximately 257,792 of those Americans who moved to a different state lived in Pennsylvania during the previous year. Those who moved from Pennsylvania to another state accounted for 3.4 percent of the total state-to-state migration in the United States, ranking it eighth in the nation for domestic out-migration.

Key findings for PA’s domestic out-migrants:

One-half move to the South One-in-three move to a bordering state Florida, New Jersey, and New York are top destinations

Regional Out-Migration from PennsylvaniaNearly one-half (49.1%) of Pennsylvania’s domestic out-migration, or migration to other states, was to states in the South, double the proportion of the next highest region, the Northeast (23.8%) [Figure 1]. Those moving out of Pennsylvania to different states were similarly divided between the West (13.8%) and Midwest (11.9%).

Figure 1. Percentage of Pennsylvania residents who moved to different state by census region.

NE: Northeast

Midwest: 11.9%

South: 49.1%

NE: 23.8%

West: 13.8%(includes AK & HI)

PASDC PA Migration to Different States

Nov. 2018 Page 2

The South Atlantic (SA) division was the most popular destination for Pennsylvanians, as approximately 40.8 percent of Pennsylvania’s domestic out-migration was to states within that division [Figure 2]. Again, movement to the South Atlantic division far eclipsed movement toward the nation’s other eight divisions, of which movement to the Middle Atlantic (MA) was the next highest (17.8%).

Figure 2. Percentage of Pennsylvania residents who moved to different state by census division.

Movement to the West North Central (WNC), comprised of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri, and East South Central (ESC), comprised of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama, had the lowest percentage of migrants from Pennsylvania at 2.3 and 2.5 percent, respectively.

Bordering states including New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio accounted for over a third (34.8%) of Pennsylvania’s out-migration to different states.

State-Level Out-Migration from Pennsylvania Florida was the most popular destination state for those moving out of Pennsylvania (11.6%) [Figure 3]. New Jersey (9.0%) and New York (8.8%) were also among the highest destination states for those who lived in Pennsylvania in the previous year. Together, those three states accounted for nearly one-third (29.4%) of all of Pennsylvania’s out-migration to different states.

PPPPPacific: 6.9%acific: 6.9%acific: 6.9%acific: 6.9%acific: 6.9%(includes AK & HI)(includes AK & HI)(includes AK & HI)(includes AK & HI)(includes AK & HI)

Mountain: 6.9%Mountain: 6.9%Mountain: 6.9%Mountain: 6.9%Mountain: 6.9%

WSC: 5.9%WSC: 5.9%WSC: 5.9%WSC: 5.9%WSC: 5.9%

WNC: 2.3%WNC: 2.3%WNC: 2.3%WNC: 2.3%WNC: 2.3%

ESC: 2.5%ESC: 2.5%ESC: 2.5%ESC: 2.5%ESC: 2.5%

ENC: 9.6%ENC: 9.6%ENC: 9.6%ENC: 9.6%ENC: 9.6%

SA: 40.8%SA: 40.8%SA: 40.8%SA: 40.8%SA: 40.8%

MA: 17.8%MA: 17.8%MA: 17.8%MA: 17.8%MA: 17.8%

NE: 6.0%NE: 6.0%NE: 6.0%NE: 6.0%NE: 6.0%

NE: New England MA: Middle Atlantic SA: South Atlantic

ENC: East North Central ESC: East South Central WNC: West North Central WSC: West South Central

PASDC PA Migration to Different States

Nov. 2018 Page 3

Figure 3. Percentage of Pennsylvania residents who moved to different state.

North Carolina (5.2%), California (5.0%), and Texas (4.5%) were among the most popular destination states for former Pennsylvania residents after Florida and bordering states. Midwestern states like the Dakotas, Montana, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa along with Alaska were among the least popular destination states for former Pennsylvania residents.

Census Regions & Divisions Census regions group the nation’s states and Washington D.C. into four census regions (the Northeast, the South, the Midwest, and the West). Census regions are further subdivided into nine census divisions (New England, Middle Atlantic, Southern Atlantic, East North Central, South North Central, West North Central, West South Central, Mountain, and Pacific).

Puerto Rico and the Island Areas are not part of any census region or census division. For more information on census regions, census divisions, and their constituent states, click here.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. 2016 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. The Pennsylvania State Data Center is the Commonwealth’s official source for population and economic statistics. Based at Penn State Harrisburg’s Institute of State and Regional Affairs, the Pennsylvania State Data Center is part of the U.S. Census Bureau’s National State Data Center Program. Questions? Contact the Pennsylvania State Data Center at 717.948.6336 or online at pasdc.hbg.psu.edu. Stay up to date on our releases, follow us on twitter: @PASDC_PSU

Under 0.5%0.5% to 0.9%1.0% to 2.4%2.5% to 3.4%3.5 to 5.0%Over 5.0%TXTX

CACA

MTMT

AZAZ

IDID

NVNV

NMNM

ILILCOCO

UTUT

OROR

KSKS

WYWYSSDD

IAIANENE

FLFL

MNMNNDND

OKOK

WIWI

ALAL

WAWA

GAGA

ARAR

LALA

MOMO

NYNYMIMI

PAPA

NCNC

ININ

MSMS

TNTN

KYKYVAVA

OHOH

SSCC

MEME

WVWV

VTVT

MDMD

NHNH

NJNJ

MAMACTCT

DEDE

RIRI

PRPR

AKAK

HIHI